In 2025, the way people find your website has changed dramatically. Google’s AI Overviews (formerly known as Search Generative Experience) now appear above traditional results and even paid ads — presenting users with an instant, AI-generated summary of answers.

So what does this mean for your business?

What Are AI Overviews?

AI Overviews are Google’s way of answering complex questions by pulling together the most useful information from multiple websites — and displaying it as a single, prominent summary at the top of the search results page.

If your website’s content is used in this summary, you’re seen as a trusted expert. If not, you could be pushed further down the page — or missed entirely.

Why You Need to Optimise for AI Overviews

📉 Reduced clicks: Organic traffic is falling — some sites have seen a 50%+ drop where AI Overviews appear.
💡 Higher-value visitors: When users do click from an AI Overview, they’re often more engaged and likely to convert.
👀 Brand visibility: Being cited in an AI Overview boosts credibility and positions your site as an authority.

How to Optimise for AI Overviews

1. Demonstrate E-E-A-T

Google favours content with Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

✅ Use author bios
✅ Cite credible sources
✅ Share your unique insights
✅ Link to your About and Contact pages

2. Answer Questions Clearly and Early

Write like a human — but think like an AI.

✅ Begin sections with direct answers
✅ Use natural, conversational phrasing
✅ Include question-based headings (e.g. “How do I…?”)
✅ Keep paragraphs short (2–3 sentences max)

3. Use Smart Structure and Formatting

Make your content easy for AI and users to scan.

✅ Use proper heading tags (H1, H2, H3…)
✅ Add bulleted and numbered lists
✅ Include FAQs for long-tail queries
✅ Break topics into sections with clear subheadings

4. Include “AI-Resistant” Value

AI can summarise — but it can’t replicate original value.

✅ Share insider tips
✅ Publish detailed “how-to” guides
✅ Offer original research or case studies
✅ Express strong opinions based on your expertise

5. Keep Content Fresh

Outdated content rarely gets featured. Stay relevant.

✅ Update statistics, trends and insights regularly
✅ Show last updated dates
✅ Refresh older pages as part of an ongoing content audit

6. Technical SEO Matters More Than Ever

AI skips slow or hard-to-read websites.

✅ Optimise for mobile (Google uses mobile view for AIOs)
✅ Improve speed (target under 2.5s load time)
✅ Use structured data (Schema Markup)
✅ Implement internal linking to show topical authority
✅ Serve images in WebP or AVIF, with ALT tags

7. Don’t Just Chase Clicks – Measure What Matters

In the AI era, engagement beats traffic.

✅ Monitor AI Overview inclusion rate
✅ Track time on page and scroll depth
✅ Measure post-AIO conversion rates
✅ Watch which content Google is citing

Final Thoughts: This Is Your SEO Wake-Up Call

We’re witnessing the biggest shift in search behaviour since mobile-first indexing. AI Overviews are not an experiment — they’re now a core part of how Google delivers answers.

If your site isn’t optimised for this new AI layer, you risk becoming invisible. But with the right content, structure, and strategy, your business can thrive in this new landscape — and even outperform larger competitors.